Meant to Be

by Sienna Grant

  “Okay, my angel.”

  Once the water is ready, I step in and lie back, letting the hot water soothe me.

  Jaxon

  I’m pretty much watching the clock tick by. After that call, I got my arse up and went in the shower. I wanted to be ready to be able to order a taxi and get there in next to no time. A message sounds on my phone. It’s Shelby, I open it right away.

  Shelby: Dad said don’t get a taxi he’ll pick you up just say what time. xx

  Me: I can’t get out of here until at the earliest 7 xx

  She doesn’t text back right away, so I get my trainers on and wait.

  Shelby: That’s fine he said he’ll be outside at 7 xx

  I’ve never actually been as nervous in all of my life like I was that day I met Jack. He came across as stern and take no shit, but once you speak to him, he’s cool. To be honest, I needn’t have been nervous in the house, it was when he gave me a lift home.

  "So Jax, you know I love my daughter, and I know you do too, I can tell that. I could tell that from the minute I walked in the door, so I’m just going to put this out there..." I nod anxiously. “I know you’ve had your problems, but... if you hurt her again, I will hunt you down."

  “Yes, Mr Andrews.”

  “We cool?” I have to bite my lip to stop the snigger from bursting out…

  “Yeah, we’re... cool.” I raise an eyebrow.

  “Do you kids not say cool anymore?”

  Shaking my head, I cover a grin.

  “Oh. Okay well, that’s me told. But,” He turns the conversation serious again, “it takes a long time to get my girl back again. Just don’t hurt her, that’s all I’m asking.”

  “I won’t, I promise.”

  He pulls up at the hostel, “Fist bump then?”

  “Erm whatever..” I touch his fist with mine just to amuse him. “I love her Mr Andrews, I always have, and you have my promise.”

  Nodding, he smiles. I twist to open the car door and step out, “Oh and Jax,” I turn back to look at him, “It’s Jack.”

  “Thanks for the lift...Jack.”

  As soon as the clock hits seven, I’m out of there. The old lady who runs the place stops me as I get to the main front door.

  “Where you off to so early?”

  “My girlfriend is in labour. I need to go.”

  “You know all this coming in and out has to be recorded, young man.”

  Sighing, I grab the sheet by the door and sign my name and record the time.

  “Don’t forget to let your parole officer know why you’re out so early.”

  “Will do.”

  I don’t waste any more time, I run out of the door, as she shouts good luck, and into the waiting car, quickly putting on my belt.

  As soon as Jack lets us in, I run up the stairs to her bedroom.

  “Shelby, I’m here babe.”

  “Oh God Jax, it hurts so much.”

  “Just squeeze my hand, whatever, to make it easier.”

  “The contractions are fifteen minutes apart still, Jaxon. The hospital won’t have her in yet.” Anna sighs.

  “Really? So she’s got to be in all this pain until they speed up?”

  “I’m afraid so,” Anna says softly.

  Smoothing my hand down Shelby’s face, I let her grip onto me as she sits between my legs. Placing my lips on her head, I help her through her next contraction.

  Chapter Twenty

  Jaxon

  After twelve hours, Shelby is still in labour, time's pushing on, and I’m scared I’m going to have to go because of this poxy curfew.

  “Shelb, I need to go and make a phone call. I’ll be two minutes.”

  “I don’t want you to leave me.” She cries clutching on to my jacket.

  “Just a minute, I promise, but if I don’t make this phone call, I’ll be in big trouble.” She nods and let’s go of me while sucking on the gas and air pipe so I can walk away. I tell the midwife I’m stepping out for a second and go over to Jack in the waiting room.

  “Can one of you go in with Shelby for a minute. I need to make a quick call.”

  ” Your girlfriend is in labour.”

  “Jack, I need to call my probation officer, if I don’t and I’m not back, I’ll be on my way back to prison. What do you think this is for?” I lift my jeans above my ankle to show him my electronic tag.

  His eyes close on a sigh… “Sorry son.” I don't answer him. I probably shouldn't let Jack feel guilty, but right now, all I care about is staying out of that hellhole and being with my girlfriend, proving to her that I can be something.

  “I’ll be as quick as I can.” Jack nods as he stands to join Shelby and I go out the doors where I can get a signal.

  I wait for Mr Farmer to pick up. “Mr Cartwright, is everything okay?”

  “Hey. I know I have a curfew, but I have a problem. My girlfriend is in labour and has been for twelve hours, I’m not missing my son’s birth.”

  “There’s a curfew in place for a reason.”

  “Yeah and does this not come as a special circumstance or something.” It’s quiet on the other end as I wait… “Look, if you don’t believe me come to the hospital, the maternity ward and ask for Shelby Andrews. You’ll find me there, but I’m not leaving - I’m just letting you know.”

  I don’t give him time to answer, I put the phone down and go back to my girlfriend.

  Three hours later and she’s still having contractions but nothing else. The midwife gives her an internal.

  “Okay her waters still haven’t gone, and she’s fully dilated. I’m going to burst them. Hopefully, this will speed things up.

  I stand back and let the midwife work. She puts a sheet underneath Shelby’s backside between her legs, and suddenly water gushes over the bed.

  “There you go.” She looks at me grinning. “Right then Shelby, as soon as you get the urge to push then you go for it, darling.” Shelby nods as she sucks on the gas and air.

  “Dad, you might want to be here for this.”

  “Shelby, the pain is going to get worse so suck on the gas as you have a contraction and as soon as you get the feeling then push down.”

  Within minutes Shelby holds my hand and squeezes until I can’t feel it anymore, but I don’t care because she does so well. I get the damp cloth from the side and wipe her forehead with it, cooling her down.

  “Jax,” she gasps, taking the pipe from her lips, “It hurts so much.”

  “You’re doing it Shelb, not long now.” She pushes down again as she has another contraction. The midwife stands at the bottom of the bed.

  “Okay guys, I can see the head. On the next one Shelby, I need you to push as hard as you can.”

  Shelby does as she’s told and pushes. I keep one eye on Shelby and switch to keep one at the bottom of the bed where the midwife is.

  “The head is out. Well done Shelby. Okay, one more big push and we’ll have him out. Shelby nods as I kiss her head, and with all she’s got left in her, she pushes until we hear a high-pitched wail.

  Shelby gasps for breath, tears roll down her face, but she’s never looked more beautiful than she does right now. Wiping them away, I kiss her telling her how amazing she is.

  The midwife brings him over to us a few minutes later wrapped up in a sheet, placing our baby on his mummy’s chest.

  “Congratulations to you both, you have a perfect little boy.

  Samuel Jack Cartwright came into the world at eight seventeen pm.

  I wrap my arms around them both, not wanting to ever let them go.

  My family. My world.

  Epilogue

  Shelby

  A Year Later

  Lying here, I watch Jax with his son. They’re so happy, and Samuel is so much like Jax. He has a lot of his expressions and little ways.

  The last year hasn’t been easy in any sense of the word. Jax and I had to deal with being apart at night un
til his sentence had finally finished. It was hard watching him leave us.

  We’d bathe Samuel together, and then Jax would put him down for the night. We always made sure we had an hour to ourselves before he’d have to leave us again, though.

  Most nights there were tears, insecurities - thinking he wouldn’t come back to us.

  To top off everything else, I didn’t see him much in the day as he started working too. The parole officer managed to set up a job for him at a car garage; then the insecurities really set in. I was sure he’d find someone else with no commitments, even though he tried to convince me that it was all in my head and I was the only person he’d ever want. He’d tell me he loved me every single day without fail.

  Once Jax’s sentence was finished completely, Dad offered to have him move in with us. He hated to see me upset all the time and Jax would need somewhere to live, and this was the best option for everyone. Jax didn’t mind the rules and regulations my dad made, after all, he’d been used to them from prison and then the halfway house. The easiest part was being together at night - being able to cuddle up together was the best part of the day.

  I never did pass my exams, but I’m re-sitting my core exams at college and starting at foundation level. I still want to work with children, that hasn’t changed - even more so now. The college has a crèche, so the days that Anna is working I can put Samuel in there.

  After having him, a social worker visited me and told me that I’d have to go to college as it’s part of the system now. They wanted me to have the best possible start and not lose out on the facilities that were offered to young mothers, so she helped me get into college. I don’t mind, it was always in my plans anyway, but this way I get extra help.

  If you’d asked me how I saw myself in eighteen months, I would never have said it would be with a baby, but hey, life happens, and things change. Even the best plans go wrong, and I wouldn’t change anything in my life for anything now.

  I’ve grown up so much since meeting Jax and becoming pregnant, my priorities changed a lot. When I look back, I can see why my mother pushed me so hard, but not the way she went about it. I know she probably hates me, but I have to live with that. She once told us that we didn’t know what love was; we proved her wrong.

  We’ve overcome a lot of issues that most adults struggle with. I know we’re still young, and we have a long road ahead of us, but I know as long as I have Jax and my son, then my life is complete. We can handle whatever life throws at us.

  Jaxon

  Every morning, the first thing I do when I open my eyes is look at my beautiful family and smile. There was a time I didn’t have anything to smile for. I was a waste of space with a drunk for a mother and a worse father who abandoned us for his own needs, but it was the best thing he ever did for me.

  I always vowed if I ever became a dad, I’d never be like either of my parents and my child would always come first. I think I’ve managed that goal already.

  The best thing that could ever happen in my life was meeting Shelby Andrews. She may have been young, but she stood by me. She loved me for me and was my biggest cheerleader from day one. She supported me when I leaned on her and tried to shove me in the right direction when I seemed to be taking the wrong one.

  If I could take back everything that happened; I would in a heartbeat. The only thing I can really do is make sure I stay on the right path. With Shelby by my side and my son, I know I have every intention of putting the bad behind me.

  Shelby and I visited my mum's grave. There wasn’t much there, just a small headstone. Harry’s mum had her cremated because as much as the old bag used to crone on about family - she was as bad as her. She just stuck around and enjoyed spreading her misery to Harry.

  Harry and Addison are still very much a big part of our lives and Samuel’s, we wouldn’t be here without them.

  Looking to the side of me, a smile creeps onto my face as I watch Samuel sleep in his cot, while Shelby sleeps snuggled into my side as she always does. I still... we still have a lot to learn, but every day is a different one. It took a long time to get here, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.

  THE END

  Playlist

  Spotify Link

  http://spoti.fi/2B6KQ5Q

  Castle On The Hill - Ed Sheeran

  Havana - Camila Cabello

  How Do I Live - LeAnn Rimes

  Stitches - Shawn Mendes

  Please Forgive Me - Bryan Adams

  Say You Won’t Let Go - James Arthur

  Stand By Me - Ben E King

  I’ll Stand By You - The Pretenders

  You Are The Reason - Calum Scott

  Kiss Me - Sixpence None the Richer

  Back To You - Selena Gomez

  Maybe It’s Time - Bradley Cooper

  Faithfully - Journey

  I Swear -All 4 One

  Rule The World - Take That

  Author Bio

  Sienna Grant is a British romance writer from the West Midland’s that decided to step into the world of writing a year ago and, has since, never looked back.

  When she’s not writing, she’s a wife and mother to three children, two of which are grown up.

  She also loves to read most kinds of romance but always with a hint of realism.

  Social Media Links

  Facebook Author Page:

  https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSiennaGrant

  Facebook profile:

  https://www.facebook.com/sienna.grant.18

  Goodreads:

  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15613594.Sienna-Grant

  Instagram:

  https://www.instagram.com/authorsgrant

  Twitter:

  https://twitter.com/authorsgrant1

  Pinterest:

  https://www.pinterest.com/sienna_grant/

  Website:

  http://www.authorsgrant.wixsite.com/home

  Books So Far…

  Contemporary

  Broken Series

  1 - Picking Up the Pieces - Book 1

  2 – Mending the pieces (novella coming soon)

  Soulmates Series (available now)

  1 - Soulmates - Chris & Taylor

  2 - Infinity - Adam & Darcy

  Soulmates 2.5 - A Christmas Novella

  3 – Kismet – Todd & Kaden

  4 – Forever - Aidan

  The Hearts series

  1 - Heart & Soul

  2 - Love & Hope

  3 – Aaron

  4 - TBC

  Standalones

  Teen fiction.

  Why Me?

  Meant to Be

  Suspense

  The Fight of My Life

  Starting Over

  Fractured Heart

  Co-Authored Books

  One Special Love With Abby Gale

  Table of Contents

  SIENNA GRANT (Untitled)

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  THE END